Mooring buoy



Oct. 27, 1931. A. 5 SHORT ET AL 1,828,821

MOORING BUOY Filed Feb. 12, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet, 1

ATTORNEY Oct. 27, 1931. A. E. SHORT ET AL MOORING BUOY Filed Feb. 12, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet, 2,

.Oct. 27, 1931. A. E. SHIORTQET AL 1,828,821

MOORING BUOY Filed Feb. 12, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet, 5

HTTOR NE Y Oct. 27, 1931.

A. E. SHORT ET AL MOORING BUOY Filed Feb. 12, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 27, 1931 I 1 2 321 7 UNrrEo s'rares PATENnoFF-iCE ALBERT EUSTAOE SHORT AND HUGH OSWALD SHORT, OF ROCHESTER, ENGLAND MOORING Buoy Application filed February 12, 1931, Serial No. 515,331, and. in GreatBri taiii Noveinber ll,

This invention relates to mooring buoys auxiliary system and guiding its final travel which are specially applicable for mooring until the main mooring chain or cable may be in a river or harbour for use with marine airreached or attached. craft, yachts, and launches (hereinafter According to the present invention, the termed aircraft). mooring buoy is constructed of light weight The mooring buoys of ordinary iron or pliable material, such,for instance, as watersteel construction frequently'cause damage to proof fabric, and which is capable of holdthe hulls of vessels during mooring operaing air under light pressure. This buoy is tions, owing to their considerable weight and provided with a net, skirt or other stress inertia and also to their unyielding characdistributing means leading from the structer; and damage by impact between the airture of the buoy itself to a point of attachcraft being moored and such heavy and un ment to the cable or mooring chain. This yielding buoys frequently takes place during point of attachment may comprise a shackle, diflicult conditions of wind and tide. In to which also is coupled one end ofa long using such iron and steel buoys for the moors mooring line provided with eyes or loops at ing of marine aircraft, risk of damage is inintervals 111 its length and fitted with a numcreased owing to the difliculty of manoeuber of small floats or airbags adapted 't'o vring when approaching moorings under prevent the mooring line from sinking. The unfavourable circumstances, and it will be float is preferably of spherical form and may I readily appreciated that owing to the combe constructed of an outer casing of canvas paratively frail structure of marine aircontaining an inflatable rubber bag, or a craft, even a sli ht impact may cause severe plurality of such bags may be employed in and costly damage to their hulls. Attempts order to guard against danger of the buoy have been made to minimize damage caused sinking owing to accidental puncture. A by heavy iron and steel buoys, by the appli small amount of buoyant substance, such as cation of protective cushions of cork and expanded rubber or cork, may also be incorsimilar material, but although these cushions porat-ed in the bag or bags, to enable the buoy afford some local relief, the inertia of the to continue to float in the event of accidental buoy, owing to its heavy weight, imposes puncture. stresses on the fabric of the hull which may The invention will now be described with cause severe damage. In addition to all these reference to some practical embodiments disadvantages, corrosion and wear necessiillustrated on the accompanying drawings in tated frequent attention and repair in buoys which made of iron and steel. Figure l is an elevation of one embodiment The object of the present invention is to of the buoy and the mooring system to be construct mooring buoys of a light and fleX- employed therewith. ible material which will present an elastic Figure 2 is a fragmentary view of the buoy face to any craft which comes into contact illustrating thestopper for the body part of with it, and which being of light constructhe buoy and the means whereby said body 3 tion will not possess the detrimental inertia part may be inflated.

inherent in the ordinary iron and steel con- Figure 3 is a plan view of the upper part struction of buoys. Moreover, the buoy conof the stopper shown in Figure 2 removed. structed in accordance with this invention is Figure 4 is a plan view of the lower part practically immune against corrosion. of the stopper shown in Figure 2 removed.

A further object of the invention is to pro- Figure 5 is a. fragmentary sectional view vide this elastic and light construction buoy of the body of the buoy illustrating the conwith suitable anchoring attachment for construction of the skirt carrying an attachment nection to the mooring cable or chain, and for the mooring cable. also to provide a light auxiliary system'per- Figure 6 is a side elevation of the attach- 5'3 mitting of the aircraft connecting to the ment for the moor ng cable. j 7

Figure 7 is a section on the line Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a sectional elevation illustrating a further embodiment.

Figure 9 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view illustrating the stopper used in the body illustrated in Figure 8'.

In the form of construction shown in Figures 17, the buoy comprises a body part formed as a single casing composed of superposed. layers of fabric and rubber which are moulded to the required form and vulcanized. This body part marked A in the accompanying drawings is of spherical shape. This form of body part lends itself particularly to the attachment of a depending skirt B which is also composed of superposed layers of fabric and rubber folded over a ring of wire B moulded to the required form and vulcanized. The depending skirt is fitted with eyelets B to receive the ends C of rods Cv connecting the skirt with a ring D forming part of an attachment D The ring D is provided with a series of holes D to receive the ends C? of the rods C.

As shown in Figures 14, the buoy is provided with an orifice formed by the outwardly extending part A of the body, which outwardly extending part is held to the required shape by a helically wound embracing wire A and is fitted with a sealing stopper E. This sealing stopper comprises an upper part E having an orifice E which is adapted to be opened completely for the initial: inflation of the buoy by a bellows, and to be closed by a plug E when inflated, and having a non-return valve E adapted for the attachmei'it of an air pump for adding add-i tional air to increase the inflation to the desired pressure. This upper part E is also provided with a central screwed shank E and a nut E. The sealing stopper also comprises a lower part E having a diametrically located web E formed with a central hole E for the passage of the shank E The upper and lower parts of the sealing stopper are externally shaped to correspond with the interior of the extending part A and are socurely retained in the extension A by a water tight closure cap E bearing at its periphery E in a circular seat E in the lower part of the sealing stopper and having a centrol hole E engaging on the shank E and being engaged by the nut E to draw and hold the parts of the sealing stopper together.

The orifice formed by the extendingpart A of the body and the sealing stopper is located centrally of the lower part of the body surrounded by the skirt B, thus when the buoy is attached at its mooring, the stopper will be sealed by water and leakage of air through the stopper will be resisted by the pressure of the water.

As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the attachment 1) for the mooring cable consists of a bifurcated part to which is attached by means of the bolt D a cable attachment device F of the main mooring cable F Between the bifurcations of the attachment 1) and pivoted on the bolt D is a shackle G on which is turnably mounted a link H and a cable attachmentdevice I. The free end of the link H is turnably connected to one end of a mooring line J made of rubber so that it will not damage aircraft coming into contact with it. This mooring line is provided at intervals with floats J The floats keep the major part of the mooring line floating on the surface of the water. The mooring line is also provided with a series of mooring loops J At or near the second float from the buoy a stranded wire rope K forming an auxiliary mooring cable is permanently connected to the floating line by means of the device K in order to prevent it sinking. rope K is provided with a looped end K which is detachably connected to the floating line by the device K so that this wire rope K is available for mooring the aircraft, and being held up by the mooring line can be readily picked up. The opposite end of the wire rope K is attached to the cable attachment device I.

The main stranded wire cable F is used in place of the chain cable which is usually em ployed with mooring buoys and is fitted with the swivel F so as to permit rotation of the buoy without communicating similar twisting action to the moorings. The main stranded wire cable F is attached by a swivel connection F to a block of concrete F con stituting an anchor. The swivels F and are especially necessary for permitting the cable to turn without being twisted especially with multi-engine aircraft 'moored at the buoy when difticu-lty may be experienced in starting one of the engines. If, under these circumstances, the aircraft circles continuously, the absence of suitable provision for )ermi-ttin the cable to turn without twistin may shorten the cable to a dangerous extent. quite apart from the damage such twisting may do to the cable. Any suitable swivel may be employed for preventing the chain or cable from taking up a twist.

In the form of construction shown in Figures 8 and 9, instead of the skirt and connecting rods being independently constructed the body L is formed with a prolongation L to which a stopper or end fitting is fixed. prolongation L is formed with a double thickness of material and is of frusto-conical shape. The stopper comprises an inner memher having frusto-conical sides If and an arcuate port-ion L formed with perforations L and an outer member L formed at is upper end with a frusto-conical recess L to receive the prolongation L at its lower end with bifurcated portions L and intermediate its ends with a diaphragm L The diaphragm The wire A The 1 I) is formed with an orifice L and with a non-return valve L in a similar manner to the stopper described with reference to Figures l4 of the accompanying drawings A water-tight closure cap L is provided and this closure cap and the inner and outer members of the stopper are flxed together and to the prolongation L by means of a bolt L. In such a structure the buoy, instead of being spherical in form, is pearshaped, the strengthening of the fabric at the prolongation enabling any stress between the cable and the buoy to be equally distributed.

' All the metal attachments to the buoy, such, for instance, as the stopper with its closure cap, the attachment and its shackle and the connecting rods, are made of non-corrodible metal, such, for instance, as stainless steel or gun-metal. The stranded wire cables are also made of non-corrodible metal or otherwise adequately protected from the action of salt Water, and phosphor-bronze or stainless steel may suitably be used for this purpose. The cable is also fitted to non-corrodible swivels.

In one construction of the buoy, it may be adapted for use at night. In such a construction, a gutta percha or other flexible noncorrodible container is mounted in the upper part of the buoy and is formed with a lid or cover consisting of a lens. In the container a light is located, which is illuminated by a suitable storage battery, operable by a switch on the exterior of the buoy. A rubber cushion is formed around the outside of the lens to protect it from damage.

hat We claim as our invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is l. A mooring buoy, comprising a hollow, air-tight and flexible body constructed of light-weight, pliable material, said body having a. prolongation; and a stopper on said prolongation forming an attachment for a mooring cable.

2. A mooring buoy, comprising a hollow, air-tight and flexible body constructed of light-weight, pliable material; a skirt leading from said body; and an attachment for a mooring cable on said skirt. I

3. A mooring buoy, comprising a hollow, air-tight and flexible body constructed of light-weight, pliable material; a sealing stopper in said body; means in said stopper adapted to open completely for the attachment of bellows for initially inflating said body; a valve for the attachment of an air pump for increasing the inflation to the desired pressure; stressdistributing means leading from said body and an attachment for a mooring cable on said stress-distributing means.

4. A mooring buoy, comprising a hollow, air-tight and flexiblebody constructed of light-weight, pliable material, said body having a prolongation; a stopper in said pro longation' forming an attachment :for the mooring, :cable; means in said stopper adapted to open completely for the attachment of; bellows for initially inflating said body; and a valve adapted for the attachment of an air pump for increasing the inand an attachment for a mooring cable on said stress-distributing means.

A mooring buoy, comprising a hollow, air-tight and flexible body constructed. of water-proof fabric, said body having a prolongation; and a stopper in said prolongation forming an attachment for a mooring cable. 1

7 A mooring buoy,-comprising a hollow, air-tight and flexible body constructed of light-weight, pliable material; stress-distributin'g means leading from said body; an attachment for a mooring cable on said stress- .distributing means; and an auxiliary mooring device to which aircraft can be connected and by which aircraft'can beguided until the mooring cable is reached. I

' 8. A mooring buoy, comprising a hollow, air-tight and flexible body 1 constructed of light-weight, pliable material; stress-distributing means leading from said body; an attachment for a mooring, cable on said stressdistri buting means; and a mooring line connected to said attachment and adapted to float and having loops atintervals along the length of said mooring line towhich aircraft can be connected and by which aircraft can be guided until the mooring cable is reached. 9. A. mooring buoy, comprising a hollow, air-tight and flexible body constructed of light-weight, pliable material, said body having a prolongation; a stopper on said prolongation forming an attachment for a mooring cable; and a mooring line connected to said attachment and adapted to float and having loops at intervals along the length of' said mooring line to which aircraft can be connected and by which aircraft can be guided until the mooring cable is reached.

10. A mooring buoy, comprising a hollow,

air-tight and flexible body constructed of light-weight, pliable material; a stress-distributing means leading from said body; an attachment for a mooring cable on said stressdistributing means; a shackle on said attachment; and an auxiliary mooring device connected to said shackle, to which auxlllary mooring device alrcraft can be connected, and

by which aircraft can be guided until the mooring cable is reached.

11. A mooring buoy, comprising a hollow, air-tight and flexible body constructed of light-weight, pliable material; stress-distributing means leading from said body; an attachment for a mooring cable on said stressdistributing means; an auxiliary mooring device to which aircraft can be connected and by which aircraft can be guided until the mooring cable is reached; and an auxiliary mooring cable attached to the auxiliary mooring device and having a loop for the attachment of aircraft thereto.

12. A mooring buoy, comprising a hollow, air-tight and flexible body constructed of light-weight, pliable material; stress-distributing means leading from said body; an attachment for a mooring cable on said stressdistributing means; a shackle on said attachment; an auxiliary mooring device connected to said shackle and adapted to float; and an auxiliary mooring cable attached at one end to said shackle and attached near its opposite end to the auxiliary mooring device and having a loop for the attachment of aircraft thereto.

13. A mooring buoy, comprising a hollow, air-tight and flexible body constructed of light-weight, pliable material; a stress-disa tributing means leading from said body; an attachment for a mooring cable'on said stressdistributing means; a shackle on said attachment; a mooring line connected to said shackle having loops at intervals to which mooring line aircraft can be connected and by which aircraft can be guided until the mooring cable is reached;- and an auxiliary mooring cable attached at one end to said shackle and near its opposite end to'the mooring line and having a loop to which the aircraft can be attached.

In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands.

ALBERT EUSTAGE SHORT. HUGH OSWALD SHORT. 

